Dunedin's ban on launching motorized watercraft from the south side of the Causeway faced its first test over the Sept. 5-7 Labor Day weekend. A personal watercraft group is calling on members to boycott the city entirely.
Rider group calls for a citywide boycott
Sean Spencer, a Florida Ski Riders staffer who opposed the ordinance, told WTSP his group is urging enthusiasts to avoid Dunedin and redirect their spending to Pasco County. "We're spreading the word to stay out of Dunedin. Don't go to your gas stations. Don't go to your hotels. Instead we're moving our stuff to Pasco," Spencer said.
Spencer also started a Change.org petition against the ban that collected more than 2,500 signatures. His claim that the group has "over a million" members has not been independently verified.
Vote makes launch ban permanent
The Dunedin City Commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to permanently prohibit launching or landing motorized watercraft on the south side of the Causeway. Pinellas County had already closed the north side to launching, citing damage and repair costs to sensitive environmental areas. The ordinance effectively ends motorized watercraft launches from the entire Causeway.
The ban does not apply to the surrounding Intracoastal Waterway or St. Joseph Sound. Riders who launch from other ramps may still pass the Causeway at posted speeds. The nearest public alternative is Sutherland Bayou Boat Ramp, about four miles away.
Sheriff's office outlines penalty tiers
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office handles enforcement. The first violation draws a warning. A second carries a class 5 citation costing $93 if uncontested or $138 if contested. Repeat offenders face a municipal citation of up to $500, and deputies may pursue trespassing charges.
Years of incidents preceded the ban
The ordinance capped years of safety and environmental concerns. Dunedin Fire Chief Michael Handoga told commissioners two personal watercraft fatalities have occurred at the Causeway since 2020. The Sheriff's Office documented 80 personal watercraft-related incidents between January 2022 and April 2026. Dunedin Fire Rescue logged more than 3,200 calls for service on the Causeway between January 2021 and May 2026.
Tim Hughes, a Suncoast Sierra Club member who serves as the club's conservation chair, said the two-year closure after Hurricane Milton had already produced visible results. "In the past two years without boat launching here, we've seen improvement in the seagrasses, improvement in the aquatic wildlife, more visiting dolphins and manatees," Hughes told WTSP.
Parks and Recreation Director Tony Mulkey said shoreline launching can take 10 years for boat scarring to recover in a seagrass bed. The shallow flats along the southern Causeway shoreline are ecologically tied to Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island, according to a Suncoast Sierra Club report submitted to the commission.
Support and opposition both ran deep
The ban drew broad institutional support from Pinellas County, the Causeway and Coastal Waterway Committee, Dunedin Windlasses, Dunedin Youth Sailing, nearby homeowner associations, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Sierra Club.
Opposition was vocal. More than 1,500 people signed a separate petition against the ban before Thursday's vote. Randy Cabrera, founder and CEO of Florida Ski Riders, called the ban a loss for his community when the ordinance was first proposed in July, citing families who launch small boats and sailboats at the Causeway.
Commissioner Tom Dugard said at Thursday's meeting, as WFLA reported: "The rights of the collective have to supersede the rights of the individual."
Repairs and enforcement review still ahead
No date has been set for the commission to review enforcement results. Pinellas County expects Causeway construction repairs from Hurricane Milton to be completed by December.
